What is a Wallet?
The short answer
Software or hardware that holds your private keys and lets you use crypto — not a place coins are physically stored.
A crypto wallet doesn’t contain coins the way a physical wallet holds cash; it holds the keys that prove ownership and authorise transactions. See our full explainer, “What Is a Crypto Wallet?”
Related terms
Full glossaryGas
The fee paid to have a transaction processed on a network like Ethereum.
Max Supply
The absolute maximum number of coins that will ever exist for a given cryptocurrency, if one is set.
Pump and Dump
A scheme where a group artificially inflates a coin's price through hype, then sells at the peak, leaving…
Whale
Slang for an individual or entity holding a very large amount of a given cryptocurrency.
Circulating Supply
The number of coins currently in public circulation and available to trade.
Market Cap
A coin's price multiplied by how many coins exist — a rough measure of overall size.
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